This invention relates to drums, and more particularly to devices for tensioning drumheads. The pitch of a drum is determined by the tension on the drumhead. While the tension on the drumhead is adjustable, adjustment of the head tension is a time consuming process. FIG. 1 shows a typical arrangement for a drumhead attachment. A drum 10 consists of a drum barrel 12 and a drumhead 14, which is positioned on top of barrel 12. The head 14 has a downwardly extending annular portion 16 that covers the top opening of barrel 12. A hoop 18 extends outwardly from annular portion 16.
A tensioning ring 20 is placed over the annular portion 16 of the head 14. Ring 20 enables a tensioning force to be applied evenly to the annular portion 16 of the drumhead 14. Bracket 22 is attached to the ring 20 via fasteners 24. Bracket 22 has bent legs 26 that extend outwardly and downwardly around hoop 18.
A lug 28 hooks over bracket 22 and transfers a tensioning force thereto. The tensioning force is transferred to the legs 26 of bracket 22, through ring 20, and to hoop 18 and portion 16 of head 14. The tensioning force is created by nuts 30, which are threaded against a bottom 32. Bottom 32 abuts a collar 34 that is fixed to barrel 12 via flange 36 and fasteners 24. A washer 38 is placed between the nuts 30 and the bottom 32. The upper nut 30 serves to increase or decrease the amount of tension applied by lug 28, while the lower nut 30 serves as a locking nut to hold a set tension, i.e., pitch of the drum, at a desired setting.
Known drums use a plurality of the above-described lug assemblies, such as six assemblies, to tension the drumhead 14. Tightening or loosening all of the lugs 28 to vary the tension on drumhead 14 is a time consuming process. Moreover, to preserve drumhead 14 it is recommended to loosen nuts 30 after each use, requiring the drummer to retighten the nuts 30 to the desired tuning tension the next time the drum is used. Such a procedure is cumbersome and consequently not followed in many instances, placing undue stress on both the drumhead 14 and the barrel 12.
A need therefore exists for an apparatus that allows the drummer to quickly tighten and loosen the drumhead 14, so that the drummer can remove tension from the head 14 after each use. It is also desirable that the device enable the previous tension, i.e., tuning setting, to be reestablished quickly upon tensioning the head after the head 14 has been loosened.